ALIGNMENT CHANGING CONTROL DEVICE AND FUEL CONSUMPTION MANAGEMENT DEVICE

• US 20080201037A1
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Horiuchi, Yutaka, Suyama, Koichi, Hattori, Kenji, Kobayashi, Akiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/025 related to comfort of drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/06 Improving the dynamic response of the control system, e.g. improving the speed of regulation or avoiding hunting or overshoot
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 17/00 Means on vehicles for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in

Abstract

To provide a toe angle changing control ECU for controlling a toe angle of wheels of a vehicle. The toe angle changing control ECU includes: a straight traveling state judging section (41) for judging whether or not the vehicle is in a straight traveling state within a predetermined time period based on detection results (a vehicle speed, a steering torque, a yaw rate, and a lateral acceleration) of the traveling condition of the vehicle; a memory (44) for storing the toe angle of the wheels while the vehicle is in the straight traveling state; and a toe angle setting section (43) for setting the wheels to the toe angle stored in the memory (44) when the straight traveling state judging section (41) judges that the vehicle is in the straight traveling state. While the vehicle is in the straight traveling state, the wheels are set to a toe angle at which the wheels are substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the rolling resistance of the wheels becomes minimum theoretically. Thus, the fuel consumption can be improved.

Claims

1. An alignment changing control device for controlling an alignment of wheels of a vehicle, comprising:

a straight traveling state judging means for judging whether or not the vehicle is in a straight traveling state based on detection results of traveling condition of the vehicle;

an alignment storage means for storing an alignment suitable for improving the fuel consumption while the vehicle is in the straight traveling state; and

an alignment setting means for setting the wheels to the alignment stored in the alignment storage means if the straight traveling state judging means judges that the vehicle is in the straight traveling state.

2. The alignment changing control device according to claim 1, wherein

the straight traveling state judging means can judge whether or not the vehicle is currently in a straight traveling state, and if the vehicle is traveling straight for a predetermined time period, then the straight traveling state judging means judges that the vehicle is currently in the straight traveling state;

and

the alignment setting means sets the wheels to the alignment stored in the alignment storage means if the straight traveling state judging means judges that the vehicle is currently in the straight traveling state.

3. The alignment changing control device according to claim 1, wherein

the straight traveling state judging means can estimate whether or not the vehicle will be in the straight traveling state ahead in the traveling direction;

and

the alignment setting means sets the wheels to the alignment stored in the alignment storage means if the straight traveling state judging means estimates that the vehicle will be in the straight traveling state ahead in the traveling direction.

4. The alignment changing control device according to claim 1, wherein the alignment is at least one of a toe angle and a camber angle.

5. An alignment changing control device for controlling an alignment of wheels of a vehicle, comprising:

an alignment setting means for setting the alignment of the wheels in a traveling condition;

a fuel consumption calculating means for calculating the fuel consumption in the traveling condition at the alignment set by the alignment setting means;

a fuel consumption information storage means for correlating the alignment set by the alignment setting means with the fuel consumption calculated by the fuel consumption calculating means and storing them therein so that fuel consumption related information corresponding to each of different alignments is stored; and

a selecting means which reads out the fuel consumption related information from the fuel consumption information storage means and selects an alignment at which the best fuel consumption can be achieved,

wherein

the alignment setting means sets the wheels to the alignment selected by the selecting means.

6. The alignment changing control device according to claim 5, further comprising a navigation device and an input means, the navigation device having:

a specifying means for detecting a current position of the vehicle;

a map information storing means for storing map information including road information;

a traveling history storing means which correlates a traveling history with the current position and the road information, and stores them therein; and

a same route specifying means which reads out the traveling history and judges whether or not the route on which the vehicle is traveling is the same route as the one on which the vehicle has ever traveled to specify the same route,

the input means inputting, from the navigation device, whether or not the route on which the vehicle is traveling is the same route,

wherein

the alignment setting means sets the alignment of the wheels when the vehicle is traveling on the same route;

the fuel consumption calculating means calculates the fuel consumption when the vehicle is traveling on the same route, at the alignment set by the alignment setting means;

the fuel consumption information storage means correlates the alignment set by the alignment setting means with the same route on which the vehicle is traveling at the set alignment and a same route fuel consumption calculated by the fuel consumption calculating means, and stores them therein so that same route fuel consumption related information corresponding to each of different alignments is stored when the vehicle is traveling on the same route;

the selecting means reads out the same route fuel consumption related information from the fuel consumption information storage means and selects an alignment at which the best same route fuel consumption can be achieved when the vehicle is traveling on the same route; and

the alignment setting means sets the wheels to the alignment selected by the selecting means.

7. The alignment changing control device according to claim 5, further comprising an input means for inputting a signal which notifies that a refueling service is received,

wherein

the alignment setting means sets an alignment when the signal which notifies that a refueling service is received is input by the input means;

the fuel consumption calculating means calculates an inter-refueling fuel consumption at the alignment set by the alignment setting means, the inter-refueling fuel consumption being the fuel consumption between the time when the signal which notifies that a refueling service is received is input by the input means and the time when a next signal which notifies that a next refueling service is received is input by the input means;

the fuel consumption information storage means correlates the alignment set by the alignment setting means with the signal which notifies that a refueling service is received and the inter-refueling fuel consumption calculated by the fuel consumption calculating means, and storing them therein so that inter-refueling fuel consumption related information corresponding to each of different alignments is stored during the traveling between the time when the signal which notifies that a refueling service is received is input by the input means and the time when a next signal which notifies that a next refueling service is received is input by the input means;

the selecting means reads out the inter-refueling fuel consumption related information from the fuel consumption information storage means and selects an alignment at which the best inter-refueling fuel consumption can be achieved; and

the alignment setting means sets the wheels to the alignment selected by the selecting means.

8. The alignment changing control device according to claim 6, wherein the alignment is at least one of a toe angle and a camber angle.

9. A fuel consumption management device of a vehicle equipped with an alignment changing control device for controlling the change of an alignment of wheels, the fuel consumption management device comprising:

a storage means for storing route section related information where the route section is formed by dividing a traveling route into a plurality of route sections;

a traveling position detecting means for detecting a traveling position of the vehicle;

a route section detecting means which detects whether or not the traveling position detected by the traveling position detecting means is located in the route sections stored in the storage means, and if yes, specifies the route section in which the traveling position is located;

an alignment changing means which changes the alignment every time the route section is changed based on the detection result of the route section detecting means;

a fuel consumption calculating means which calculates the fuel consumption for each of the route sections; and

a fuel consumption information registration means which stores the calculated fuel consumption and the set alignment in association with each other in the storage means.

10. The fuel consumption management device according to claim 9, wherein the alignment is at least one of a toe angle and a camber angle.

11. An alignment changing control method for controlling an alignment of wheels of a vehicle, comprising:

a straight traveling state judging step for judging whether or not the vehicle is in a straight traveling state based on detection results of traveling condition of the vehicle;

an alignment storage step for storing an alignment suitable for improving the fuel consumption while the vehicle is in the straight traveling state; and

an alignment setting step for setting the wheels to the alignment stored in the alignment storage step if it is judged in the straight traveling state judging step that the vehicle is in the straight traveling state.

12. The alignment changing control method according to claim 11, wherein

in the straight traveling state judging step, it is judged that whether or not the vehicle is currently in a straight traveling state, and if the vehicle is traveling straight for a predetermined time period, then it is judged that the vehicle is currently in the straight traveling state;

and

in the alignment setting step, the wheels is set to the alignment stored in the alignment storage step if it is judged in the straight traveling state judging step that the vehicle is currently in the straight traveling state.

13. The alignment changing control method according to claim 11, wherein

in the straight traveling state judging step, it is estimated that whether or not the vehicle will be in the straight traveling state ahead in the traveling direction;

and

in the alignment setting step, the wheels are set to the alignment stored in the alignment storage step if it is estimated in the straight traveling state judging step that the vehicle will be in the straight traveling state ahead in the traveling direction.

14. An alignment changing control method for controlling an alignment of wheels of a vehicle, comprising:

an alignment setting step for setting the alignment of the wheels in a traveling condition;

a fuel consumption calculating step for calculating the fuel consumption in the traveling condition at the alignment set in the alignment setting step;

a fuel consumption information storage step for correlating the alignment set in the alignment setting step with the fuel consumption calculated in the fuel consumption calculating step and storing them so that fuel consumption related information corresponding to each of different alignments is stored; and

a selecting step for reading out the fuel consumption related information stored in the fuel consumption information storage step and selecting an alignment at which the best fuel consumption can be achieved,

15. The alignment changing control method according to claim 14, further comprising an input step for inputting, from a navigation device, whether or not the route on which the vehicle is traveling is a same route, the navigation device having:

a specifying means for detecting a current position of the vehicle;

a map information storing means for storing map information including road information;

a traveling history storing means which correlates a traveling history with the current position and the road information, and stores them therein; and

a same route specifying means which reads out the traveling history and judges whether or not the route on which the vehicle is traveling is the same route as the one on which the vehicle has ever traveled to specify the same route,

wherein

in the alignment setting step, the alignment of the wheels is set when the vehicle is traveling on the same route;

in the fuel consumption calculating step, the fuel consumption is calculated when the vehicle is traveling on the same route, at the alignment set in the alignment setting step;

in the fuel consumption information storage step, the alignment set in the alignment setting step is correlated with the same route on which the vehicle is traveling at the set alignment and a same route fuel consumption calculated in the fuel consumption calculating step, and stored so that same route fuel consumption related information corresponding to each of different alignments is stored when the vehicle is traveling on the same route;

in the selecting step, the same route fuel consumption related information stored in the fuel consumption information storage step is read out and an alignment at which the best same route fuel consumption can be achieved when the vehicle is traveling on the same route is selected; and

in the alignment setting step, the wheels are set to the alignment selected in the selecting step.

16. The alignment changing control method according to claim 14, further comprising an input step for inputting a signal which notifies that a refueling service is received,

wherein

in the alignment setting step, an alignment is set when the signal which notifies that a refueling service is received is input in the input step;

in the fuel consumption calculating step, an inter-refueling fuel consumption at the alignment set in the alignment setting step is calculated, the inter-refueling fuel consumption being the fuel consumption between the time when the signal which notifies that a refueling service is received is input in the input step and the time when a next signal which notifies that a next refueling service is received is input in the input step;

in the fuel consumption information storage step, the alignment set in the alignment setting step is correlated with the signal which notifies that a refueling service is received and the inter-refueling fuel consumption calculated in the fuel consumption calculating step, and the correlated information is stored, so that inter-refueling fuel consumption related information corresponding to each of different alignments is stored during the traveling between the time when the signal which notifies that a refueling service is received is input in the input step and the time when a next signal which notifies that a next refueling service is received is input in the input step;

in the selecting step, the inter-refueling fuel consumption related information stored in the fuel consumption information storage step is read out and an alignment at which the best inter-refueling fuel consumption can be achieved is selected; and

in the alignment setting step, the wheels are set to the alignment selected in the selecting step.

17. A fuel consumption management method for a vehicle equipped with an alignment changing control device for controlling the change of an alignment of wheels, the fuel consumption management method comprising:

a storage step for storing route section related information where the route section is formed by dividing a traveling route into a plurality of route sections;

a traveling position detecting step for detecting a traveling position of the vehicle;

a route section detecting step for detecting whether or not the traveling position detected in the traveling position detecting step is located in the route sections stored in the storage step, and if yes, specifying the route section in which the traveling position is located;

an alignment changing step for changing the alignment every time the route section is changed based on the result detected in the route section detecting step;

a fuel consumption calculating step for calculating the fuel consumption for each of the route sections; and

a fuel consumption information registration step for allowing the calculated fuel consumption and the set alignment to be stored in the storage step to store in association with each other.